Resilient sash bearing



. W. Rm m w 2 w a m T e l a m s F L M I l s 1 M F 9 .n. 2/ 7. A 4 M a f M v 1 o 4! w M 6 M. m a r atented Sept. 28, 1 948 NT OFFICE RESILIEN T SASH BEARING Fred Booth, Jr.-, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Duplex Incorporated,- Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 28, 1945, Serial No. 619,091

2 Claims.

My invention relates to window fixtures and has particular reference to a resilient bearing device for holding a sliding window sash in normal position.

Various means have been devised as substitutes for the old sash-weight counter-balance for windows, among which has been the use of a springactuated drum type balance wherein one end of a sash supporting band is attached to the window 'sash and the other end to a spring-actuated drum. While balances of this the purpose of counter-balancing the weight of kind are satisfactory for the sash, they have a tendency to tilt or rotate the sash in the frame about a horizontal axis andthrow the upper corner on the side opposite the point of counter-balance support into cornerwise engagement with the window frame or sash guide. When the sash is tilted in this manner,

it tends to bind in the frame and will not slide up and down with sufiicient ease. To offset this tendency a resilient bearing has been utilized for application to the sash near the corner. To date however, the particular style of resilient bearing has been of a composite construction which has been prone to become dislodged from proper ad- 'justment and to need frequent re-adjusting, or

possessed other deficiencies. The composite construction of the prior art devices has also raised the cost of window hardware to a figure higher than justified in view of the simple operative essentials of a device of this kind.

- It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved resilient bearing for window sashes which is simple in construction, efiicient in inexpensive to manufacture.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved resilient bearing for window sashes which can be applied, removed and adjusted from the exterior without it being necessary to remove the window sash from a frame,

and of great importance, a bearing which inherently provides a self-adjustment to a considerable degree, offering varying degrees of resistance depending upon the operating proximity and pressure between window sash and sash guide or frame.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved resilient bearing device of a leaf or ribbon spring construction having a two point bearing under compression so that the spring action issmooth and well distributed regardless of how greatly the spring may be compressed by' the attached;

performance and relatively tilt'of a window sash to which it is A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved resilient bearing device of leaf or ribbon spring construction applicable at the corner of a window sash for frictionally guiding the sash in the frame and so designed and mounted that the spring element at the same time serves as a snubber preventing the corner of the sash from gouging the adjacent surface of the frame.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a sliding window sash mounted in a frame with the surrounding casing broken away showing the location of the novel fixture incorporating the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the fixture mounted on a window sash as viewed from the rear.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the spring fixture under greater compression due to rotation of the sash. I

Figure 4 is a side elevational View of thefixture prior to its application to a window sash.

Figure 5 is a top view of the fixture shown in Figure 4. v I r I Figure 6 is a perspective view of the fixture.

In the manufacture of window hardware several factors must be taken into consideration, namely the provision of durable hardware which will not deteriorate under long periods of use, hardware of simple construction so that a mechanic can install it with ease and at a minimum expenditure of time and also hardware of such simple design and operation that it will work smoothly and eificiently on all occasions without becoming dislodged from proper adjustment.

A simple device incorporating these several dcsirable features and capable of accomplishing the objects sought there has been selected and illustrated inthe drawing as an embodiment of the invention. The device comprises a resilient bearing device I 0, shown in detail in Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrated in its assembled relationship with a window sash H and frame or sash guide l2 in Figures 1, 2, and 32 In a building structure incorporating the win-- dow sash and frame there is shown a window casing I3 within which is mounted an upper sliding sash I 4 in addition to the sash H which is positionedat the lowerportionof the casing.

operative -,position tends template a radius large To provide a counter-balance for the window a spring counter-balance unit is mounted upon the frame on the left hand side, as viewed in Figure 1, from which extends a supporting band l6 which is attached underneath an adjacent lower corner I! of the sash and there permanently held in place by some suitable anchoring device. Details of the counter-balance unit and supporting band have been omitted inasmuch as this portion of the device may be of conventional construction.

When a spring counter-balance of this .sort is used only one is necessary to assist in the raising of the window sash. However, when only one supporting band is applied to one side of a window sash, tension on the supporting band tends to rotate the sash about a horizontalaxis in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1. This tendency to rotate would normally draw the corner I! against the adjacent side of the frame and a corner l8 of the sash against an opposite side of the frame. The obvious result of this would be to jam the sash between the sides of the frame.

To overcome this tendency, the resilient bearingdevice comprising the subject matter of this invention, is applied to the corner l8 and in to y-ieldably force the corner away from the adjacent side of the frame.

Inorder that the action may be positive, efficient and reliable the resilient bearing device has a special construction and should be attached to the sash in a proper manner.

-'I he hearing device, before application to a window sash, comprises a :leaf or ribbon spring member having a flat portion 20 incorporating means for attaching the flat portion to a window sash, herein illustrated as a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures 21 and 2-2. Intheclaims I refer to the portion 26 as a flat anchor terminal section. Immediately adjacent the flat portion is a rounded portion or arcuate bend '23 while adjacent the arcuate bend 23 the spring is bent into -a concave-convex configuration 124,, the convexside of which is directed inwardly. This is referred to in the claims as a reverse 'dir ection bend forming a first bearing point (located at the .lead line from numeral 24).

Next to the concave-convex configurationis a relatively long curved portion or loop 25, the chordo'f which extends at an obtuse angle with lrelation t'o the hat portion 23 when the bearing is free from engagement in a window structure. At the outerend of the relatively long curved portion .is-a preferably although not essentially, :sl-ightly rounded, free end 2-6 to ,provide a smooth sliding engagement with a window sash when in assembled relationship. This free end is referred to ,in-the claims as a second bearing point.

Whereas :I have spoken of an arcuate portion, it :is to be taken in the broadest sense in that it .may-also .be what is known a-s'a compound 'curve; that is, it need not have a common center or .r-adius;of curvature. 1

i The rounded portion 23 is'of a material radius. -By material is meant a radius many times .=larger than the thickness :of the material being :used to formthe'device herein described. '1 conenough to furnish under certain conditions a bearingqrsurface and pur- .posely :so designed :for such use, rather than a madius which results from the fact that the type of 'material used :cannot be :formed into a square corner.

When the deviceis .to be applied .to a window that the bearing -:may

. against the COHCQVO-COHVCX sash the sash, if desired, may first be mounted in a window frame and the casing attached. There will always be a certain space 21 allowed between the edge of the sash and the adjacent edge of the frame l2. The bearing is attached to the corner of the sash, in this particular embodiment, by means of nails 28 which are driven through the apertures 20 *a-nd2l into a'horizontal element or .rail 29 of the sash. By the use of two nails the bearing is prevented from being cocked out of position once it is secured in place. The bearing l0 may be mounted on the sash before it is installed, "if desired. When mounted, the spring is sprung vertically away from the rail of the sash as shown inFigure 2.

When the bearing is properly mounted and the sash is in, the loop 25 extends into the space 21 and in this position is bent so that the chord of the loop is substantially at right angles to the direction of the straight portion 20. The convex side of the loop will bear resiliently against the adjacent face of the frame or sash guide l2.v

Thus mounted, the rounded corner or arcuate bend 23 surrounds the corner 18 of the sash and may be in contact with it and the bearing point ,25 between the arcuate bend and the loop 25 is positioned close to but not necessarily in engagement with the adjacent surface of the sash. In this position also the free terminal end .26 will be in .irictionally slidable contact with the sash. When the sash is in operating proximity to the sash guide or frame, l2 pressure will be exerted against the bearing, first at the endor bearing point 26 and then, if the pressure increases, portion or bearing point 24. Theconfiguration of thespring may be such that the order of contact of the bearing points .is reversed, or it may be simultaneous. Since the convex side Tof the long arcuate portion or loop is already .in contact with the adjacent surface of the .frame -or sash guide, it will tend to press with increasing .force against .the :frame. There will consequently be a broad frictional contact at the convex side of the loop and even- .tually a two point support at the ends of the loop against the sash. .Afurther increase in pressure will tend to flatten the loop .to aslig'htly greater extent and at the same time push the bearing point 26 and the concavo-convexportion 124 endwise. Should the pressure be increased by-mutual approach of sash and :guide the convex surface of the arcuate bend 23 may come .into bearing contact with the guide. 7

To readjust the tension of the spring in relation to the surrounding sash and frame .it-is necessary only to withdraw the nails 28, or screws if .screWs be used, shift the straight portion of the bearing to therightor left as the case .maybe .and'then reapply thenails. The bearing may he moved either towards the right or towards the left -.to respectively decrease or increase spring .pressureexertedrby the hearing. it is clear also be removed by :31 :similar withdrawal of thenails and replaced by lavnew bearinghaving agreaterorailesser springitension :35 may be required.

It should be noted that the anchor terminal section will usually- :be mounted on the .iSBJSh Tail 1184C :a location spaced away from thetarcuate bond "23, and twhen-thuszanchored the spring at :an intermediate point in the arcuate bend preferably although not lnecessarily contacts the :corner :of the sash ':but the radius and arc .of :said :bend' are :such that the spring is :sprung @vertically away from the rail of the sash and outwardly away from the side of the sash and when not in operating proximity to a sash guide neither of the first or second bearing points is in contact with the sash, and when the mounted spring is in operating proximity to a sash guide the convex surface of the loop yieldably presses against the guide and the second bearing point engages the side of the sash, and if pressure between guide and sash is suiiicient to overcome the spring resistance thus offered, the first bearing point engages the side of the sash and thus shortens the effective length of the spring and increases the resistance thereof.

There has been accordingly provided a resilient bearing device of extremely simple construction but in which is incorporated configurations of special importance which permits the bearing to efiiciently perform its several functions while enabling it to be made simply and inexpensively and capable of installation with a minimum of expenditure of eifort. The fiat anchor section of the bearing obviously can be attached at the top or bottom of a vertically slidable window or at the sides of a horizontally slidable window. The description in the claims assumes a position of the bearing with the flat anchor surface attached either to the top or bottom of a sash.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A resilient sash bearing comprising a ribbon spring which when in equilibrium comprises a fiat anchor terminal section, an arcuate bend extending outwardly and laterally from one end of the terminal section, a reverse direction bend forming a first bearing point at the free extremity of the said arcuate bend, a loop bowed in the same direction as the arcuate bend and longer than the same and extending laterally and outwardly from the reverse direction bend, the terminal end of the loop forming a second bearing point, the said loop lying in a general plane at an obtuse angle to the anchor terminal section, the said anchor terminal section being adapted to be mounted horizontally on a rail of a sash at a location spaced away from the arcuate bend, and when thus anchored the spring at an intermediate point in the said arcuate bend may contact the corner of the sash but the radius and arc of said bend are such that the spring is sprung vertically away from the rail of the sash and outwardly away from the side of the sash and when not in operating proximity to a sash guide neither of said first or second bearing points is in contact with the sash, and when the mounted spring is in operating proximity to a sash guide the convex surface of the loop yieldably presses against the guide and the second bearing point engages the side of the sash, and if pressure between guide and sash is sufficient to overcome the spring resistance thus oifered, the said first bearing point engages the side of the sash and thus shortens the effective length of the spring and increases the resistance thereof.

2. A resilient sash bearing comprising a ribbon spring which when in equilibrium comprises a fiat anchor terminal section, an arcuate bend extending outwardly and laterally from one end of the terminal section, a reverse direction bend forming a first bearing point at the free extremity of the said arcuate bend, a loop bowed in the same direction as the arcuate bend and longer than the same and extending laterally and outwardly from the reverse direction bend, the terminal end of the loop forming a second bearing point, the said loop lying in a general plane at an obtuse angle to the anchor terminal section, the said anchor terminal section being adapted to be mounted horizontally on a rail of a sash at a location spaced away from the arcuate bend, and when thus anchored the spring at an intermediate point in the said arcuate bend may contact the corner of the sash but the radius and are of said bend are such that the spring is sprung vertically away from the rail of the sash and outwardly away from the side of the sash and when not in operating proximity to a sash guide neither of said first or second bearing points is in contact with the sash, and when the mounted spring is in operating proximity to a sash guide the convex surface of the loop yieldably presses against the guide and at least one of said bearing points engages the side of the sash, and if pressure between guide and sash is suflicient both said bearing points engage the side of the sash, the radius and are of said arcuate bend being proportioned and located relative to the said loop so that the convex surface of said bend is adapted to resiliently bear against the sash guide upon increase of pressure between sash and guide suflicient to overcome the resistance of the spring established upon contact of both said bearing points with the sash.

FRED BOOTH, JR.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,760,227 Appleby May 27, 1930 2,206,346 Crosno July 2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 221,141 Great Britain Sept. 4, 1924 237,687 Great Britain Aug. 6, 1925 

